Drinking straw dispenser



July 7, 1970 T. o. YINGST ETAL 3,5

DRINKING STRAW DISPENSER Filed Oct. 11. 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 7 Q o m W F 9 .I Q L k A. n i u E m. m mfl w A WI 5 5 w .l A C. n m d J flu v F July 7, 1970 sr ETAL 3,519,166

DRINKING STRAW DISPENSER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 11, 1968 m9 mm 3 United States Patent 3,519,166 DRINKING STRAW DISPENSER Thomas O. Yingst, Herculaneum, and Donald L.

Whiteaker, Imperial, Mo., assignors to UMC Industries, Inc., St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 11, 1968, Ser. No. 766,761 Int. Cl. G07f 11/00 U.S. Cl. 221-13 16 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An automatic drinking straw dispenser, for use in a drink vendor, comprises a magazine for holding a supply of straws in the cabinet of the vendor, and means for feeding straws endwise from the supply toward and through an outlet in the front of the cabinet. Prior to each vend cycle of the vendor, a straw is disposed in position ready for being dispensed through the outlet with its forward end slightly rearward of the outlet. On a vend cycle, this straw is fed forward, part way out through the outlet to a final delivery position in which its forward end is presented to the purchaser so that he may grasp it and pull the straw out the rest of the way. In response to the straw being pulled out, another straw is fed into the ready position for the next vend cycle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION matic drinking straw dispenser used in a vendor for vending frozen carbonated drinks in cups, as to which a straw is generally desired for sipping the drink as it melts in the cup, although it will be understood that it is useful in other types of vendors, e.g., post-mix and pre-mix vendors for carbonated and non-carbonated drinks, and vendors for cans or bottles of beverage, or as an automatic straw dispenser per se.

It is desirable to provide for automatic dispensing of a straw from a vendor such as above described with each drink vended, but this presents problems of dispensing each straw in sanitary member, and disposing of any straw not taken by a purchaser so that it does not remain to become unsanitary and possibly taken by a later purchaser.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision of an automatic straw dispenser which dispenses straws in sanitary manner, and disposes of any dispensed straw not taken by a purchaser; and the provision of such a dispenser which is of relatively simple economical construction, and reliable in operation. In general, a dispenser of this invention comprises a housing (e.g., the cabinet of a vendor) having a straw outlet for endwise exit of a straw at the front thereof, and having means for holding a supply of straws therein. Means is provided for feeding straws forward from the supply toward and through the outlet. One straw, referred to as the ready straw, is disposed within the housing in an inaccessible position ready to be dispensed through the outlet with its forward end adjacent but spaced rearward of the outlet. Means is provided for activating the feeding means to feed the ready straw forward partly through the outlet to a final delivery position wherein its forward end extends out through the outlet accessible for grasping for pulling the straw out of the housing. Further, means .is provided for reactivating the feeding means in response to pulling out the straw to feed another straw 3,519,166 Patented July 7, 1970 to the ready position. If the straw is not pulled out from the final delivery position, it is automatically pushed out and disposed of (by falling on the floor) when the next straw is fed forward to the ready position. Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a view of the front of the cabinet of a beverage vendor which is equipped with an automatic straw dispenser of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a transverse vertical section through a magazine of the dispenser;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragment of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section on line 4--4 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 5 is a view on line 5-5 of FIG. 2 and in section on line 55 of FIG. 1, showing a straw in the ready position;

FIG. 6 is a fragment of FIG. 5 showing a straw in the final delivery position; and

FIG. 7 is a wiring diagram.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring first to FIG. 1 of the drawings, there is indicated at 1 a typical beverage vendor cabinet in which a drinking straw dispenser of this invention may be used, the cabinet having a front door 3 hinged at one side thereof. It will be understood that the product dispensing mechanism and coin mechanism of the vendor are housed in the cabinet. Typically, the vendor would be one which vends a drink into a cup at a cup station 5. The straw dispenser of this invention is particularly useful in such a vendor wherein the drink is a frozen carbonated drink, as to which a straw is generally desired for sipping the drink as it melts in the cup. However, it will be understood that the straw dispenser of this invention may also be used with other types of beverage vendors, including post-mix and pre-mix vendors for carbonated and noncarbonated drinks, and bottle and can vendors.

Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 2 and 5, a straw dispenser of this invention, which is incorporated in the cabinet 1 (constituting a housing for the straw dispenser) is designated in its entirety by the reference numeral 7. The front door 3 of the cabinet has a straw outlet 9 for endwise exit of a straw, this outlet being constituted by a small hole slightly larger than the diameter of a straw in an insert 11 in the door 3. The outlet or hole 9 is countersunk at its forward and rearward ends. Generally, the dispenser 7 comprises means 13 for holding a supply of straws S in the cabinet or housing 1, spaced rearward from the front door 3. Means generally designated 15 is provided for feeding straws forward from the supply toward and through the outlet. One straw, designated S4 in FIG. 5, and referred to as the ready straw, is disposed within the cabinet in an inaccessible position ready to be dispensed through the outlet 9 with its forward end adjacent but spaced rearward of the outlet. Means indicated at 17 in FIG. 7 is provided for activating the feeding means to feed the ready straw S4 forward partly through the outlet to a final delivery position (see FIG. 6) wherein its forward end extends out through the outlet accessible for being grasped to pull it out of the cabinet or housing 1. Means indicated at 19 in FIGS. 5-6 is provided for reactivating the feeding means in response to pulling out the straw to feed another straw to the ready position.

The means 13 for holding a supply of straws comprises a magazine 21 for holding a single stack of straws in which the straws lie horizontally one on top of another with the lowermost straw S1 of the stack in line with the outlet 9, and a hopper 23 for supplying straws to the magazine. The hopper is of rectangular shape in plan, made of sheet metal, for example, having vertical side walls 25 and 27, a back wall 29, a top wall 31, a front door 33 and a generally V-shaped troughlike bottom 35. The door 33 is pivoted to swing out at its bottom. A latch 37 is provided for the door on the top wall 31. The arrangement with the door 33 at the front of the hopper enables loading of the hopper from the front of the cabinet 1 when the front door 3 of the cabinet is opened. Straws are adapted to funnel down from the V-shaped hopper bottom 35 into the magazine 21, which, as shown in FIG. 2, is inclined downward from the lower apex of the hopper bottom.

The hopper bottom 35 and the magazine 21 are formed by plates 39 and 41. Plate 39 is a flat plate extending downward at an angle from the bottom of side wall 27, its lower portion constituting the lower wall of the inclined magazine 21. Plate 41 has an upper panel 45 which extends downward at an angle from the bottom of side wall 27 and a lower panel 47 bent back to extend parallel to the lower portion of plate 39 above the latter, this panel 47 constituting the top wall of the inclined magazine 21. Panel 47 projects beyond the lower end edge of plate 39 and has a flange 49 at its lower end bent down at right angles and constituting a bottom end wall for the inclined magazine 2].. Between this flange and the lower end edge of plate 39 is a narrow slot 51 (see FIG. 3) which extends the full length of the lower end of the magazine. This slot is narrower than a straw. The front end of the V-shaped hopper bottom 35 and the associated magazine 21 is closed by a generally triangular plate 53 below the door 33, and the rear end of the V-shaped hopper bottom and the magazine is closed by a generally triangular extension 55 of the back wall 29 of the hopper.

A mounting plate 57 for feeding means 15 extends down at right angles from the hopper bottom plate 39. This plate has a length greater than the front-to-rear dimension of the hopper and magazine (i.e., greater than the length of a straw) and it extends forward and rearward beyond the magazine. The feeding means 15 comprises an endless conveyor constituted by a chain 59 trained around a pair of sprockets 61 and 63 to have an upper horizontal reach 59a. and a lower horizontal reach The upper reach 59a extends horizontally directly below the slot 51 in the lower end of the magazine 21. Sprocket 61 is mounted on an idler shaft 65 journalled in plate 57, and sprocket 63 is mounted on the end of the output shaft 67 of an electric gearmotor 69 carried by plate 57. This motor 69, when energized, drives the chain for forward movement of its upper reach 59a (movement from right to left as viewed in FIG. 5). Spaced at equal intervals along the chain are two pusher fingers each designated 71. Each finger is adapted to extend up into the slot 51 after coming up around the sprocket 61 and, as it moves forward with the upper reach 59a of the chain, to engage the rearward end of the straw S1 and push it forward. Each finger 71 continues to push the straw S1 forward until it passes down and out of engagement with the rearward end of the straw in moving down and around sprocket 63. Each finger has a backwardly bent tip 73 to avoid entry of the finger into the open rearward end of the straw as the finger moves down and around sprocket 63 out of engagement with the rearward end of the straw, so as to avoid jamming. A support 75 for the upper reach 59a of the chain is provided on plate 57.

The sprocket 63 is located some distance forward of the forward end of the magazine 21 and the sprocket 65 is located some distance rearward of the rearward end of the magazine. Thus, the upper reach 59a of the chain 59 extends some distance forward of the forward end of the magazine and some distance rearward of the rearward end of the magazine. As a result, a finger 71 coming up around the sprocket 65 travels some distance with the upper reach of the chain before engaging the rearward end of straw S1 (the lowermost straw in the magazine) and is adapted to push this straw some distance out of the magazine before it travels down and around sprocket 63 and out of engagement with the rear of the straw. The latter distance is indicated at A in FIG. 5.

At 77 is generally indicated means for guiding straws from the magazine 21 toward the outlet 9. This guide means comprises two straw guide tubes, a rearward tube 79 and a forward tube 81. The rearward tube 79 has its rearward end portion secured as by soldering to a flange 83 at the top of the forward end portion of plate 57 and extends forward from the forward end of the lower end of magazine 21 a considerable distance beyond the forward end of plate 57, in line with straw S1. Tube 79 has a bell-mouthed rearward end 85 closely adjacent the forward end of the lower end of magazine 21, and has a slot 87 in its bottom extending forward past the forward end of the upper reach 59a of chain 59 for accommodating the pusher fingers 71. The forward tube 81 is carried by the door 3 of the vendor cabinet, being aligned with the tube 79 when the door 3 is closed. Tube 81 is mounted in line with outlet 9 on a bracket 89 carried on the inside of door 3. It extends rearward from bracket 89, having a bell-mouthed rearward end 91 which is positioned contiguous to the forward end of tube 79 when the door 3 is closed. The tube 81 is mounted on bracket 89 with its forward end spaced rearward of door 3 a distance B. As herein illustrated by way of example, the hopper and magazine assembly may be mounted in cabinet 1 with the forward end of the magazine 21 spaced rearward of the door 3 a distance equal to about three and one-half straw lengths, and the combined length of tubes 79 and 81, under the circumstances, is slightly greater than three straw lengths. This provides for having three straws S2, S3 and S4 in series end-to-end in the tubes between the magazine 21 and the front door, with the rearward end of straw S2 spaced forward the distance A from the forward end of the magazine and the forward end of straw S4 in the space between the forward end of tube 81 and the front door 3.

The means 19 for reactivating the feeding means 15 in response to pulling out straw S4 comprises a push-button double-pole control switch 91 mounted on bracket 89 below the forward end portion of tube 85, this switch having an operating arm 93 extending forward beyond the forward end of tube 81. The operating arm 93 has an upwardly extending offset 95 at its forward end which is engageable by the forward end portion of a straw extending forward out of the tube 81. When engaged by a straw, arm 93 is held down against the spring bias in the switch to hold down the button of the switch, thereby to hold the switch in a first position. The bracket 89 has a flange 99 constituting a back-up for the straw opposite the offset 95 of arm 93. An arm 101 pivoted at 103 on bracket 89 has a gate 105 at its forward end for closing the outlet 9. The arm has a downwardly inclined forward end portion 107 engageable by a straw to swing the gate upward to open position, the arm swinging down by gravity in the absence of a straw to close the gate.

Means is provided for agitating the straws in the hopper 23 to assure their being fed down into the magazine 21. As shown, this means comprises a rod 109 extending across the hopper just above the apex of its V-shaped bottom 35, the ends of the rod being journalled in plate 53 and extension 55 of the hopper rear wall 27. The rod has an offset 111 generally at the center of its length,

and is adapted to be driven by a gearmotor 113 mounted on the hopper rear wall 29. The rod is rotated in counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 2 and its offset 111 agitates straws in the hopper and tends to prevent jamming of straws into the magazine.

Now referring to FIG. 7, which is a simplified wiring diagram, the control switch 91 is shown to have upper and lower contacts 115 and 117 and a blade 119. The

motor 69 is connected in a line 121 between the blade 119 and line L2 of power supply lines L1 and L2. A line 123 including a timer-controlled vend cycle switch 125 interconnects contact 117 and line L1. The timer 127 for switch 125 is shown as connected across lines L1 and L2 in a line 129 including a coin-controlled switch 131 and a selector switch 13. A line 135 interconnects'contact 115 and line L1. Motor 113 is connected in parallel with motor 69 as indicated at 137. Blade 119 is closed on contact 117 by a straw, and closes on contact 115 when a straw is pulled out. The arrangement is such that, when a purchaser deposits the appropriate amount in coin for a vend, switch 131 closes and the purchaser may then actuate selector switch 133 to make his purchase. It will be understood that in a typical beverage vendor of the type here under consideration, there will be a number of such selector switches for making different selections of beverages. On closure of switch 133, the circuit for timer 127 is completed via line 129 and the latter effects closure of switch 125 and holds it closed for a predetermined time, during which the vendor operates through a vend cycle to vend a drink.

Operation is as follows:

Prior to any vend cycle, there is a straw S1 at the lower end of the inclined magazine 21, and three straws S2, S3 and S4 in tubes 79 and 81 forward of and in line with straw S1. The rearward end of straw S2 is spaced forward of the forward end of straw S1 the distance A. The forward end portion of the forward straw S4 extends out of the forward end of the tube 81 as shown in FIG. 5 and holds down arm 93 of switch 91 to hold its blade 119 on its contact 117. However, the forward end of straw S4 is spaced rearward of door 3. Switches 125, 131 and 133 are open. One pusher finger 71 on chain 59 is in position about to come into engagementwith the rearward end of straw S1, and the' other is half way around the chain (having previously come out of engagement with the rearward end of what is now straw S2).

On a vend, i.e., on closure of switches 131 and 133, switch 125 is closed by timer 127 for a predetermined time interval, and vending of the drink to be dispensed is effected during this interval by means not shown herein since it does not constitute any part of this invention. Also on closure of switch 125, a circuit is completed for motors 69 and 113 for the time interval of closure of switch 125 via switch 91 having its blade 119 closed on contact 117. Motor 69 drives chain 59 and the finger 71 shown at the right of FIG. 5 comes into engagement with the rearward end of straw S1 and pushes it forward out of the lower end of magazine 21. The straw S1 is fed forward first through the distance A, whereupon its forward end comes into engagement with the rearward end of straw S2, and all four straws S1-S4 are then fed forward. The motor 69 continues in operation and the four straws are fed forward by the stated pusher finger to the point where straw S4 is in a final delivery position wherein its forward end portion extends out through the outlet 9 a distance such as to enable it to be grasped by the purchaser and pulled out the rest of the way, While arm 93 of switch 91 continues to be held down by the rearward end portion of straw S4 (see FIG. 6). The stated pusher finger stops some distance rearward of the forward end of the magazine, and straw S1 is not fed completely out of the magazine. The time interval during which switch 125 is closed and the speed of the output shaft 67 of motor 69 are interrelated to effect the stated forward feed of the straws. Motor 113 drives the rod 109 during the stated interval to effect agitation of straws in the hopper 33. Gate 105 is automatically swung open by straw S4 as it exits through the outlet.

Now, assuming the purchaser, having received his drink, pulls out the straw S4, arm 93 of switch 91 is released, and blade 119 closes on its upper contact 115. This completes a circuit for motors 69 and 113 via line 135, and motor 69 resumes operation to drive the chain 59. The stated 'pusher'finger 71' on the upper reach of the chain resumes operation to push the three straws S1-S3 forward, and continues to do so until the forward end portion of straw S3, emerging from the forward end of tube 81, engages and depresses arm 93 of switch 91 to open blade 119 from contact and close it back on contact 117. Motor 69 is thereupon deenergized, since switch is open. Straws S3, S2 and S1 are thus advanced to become S4, S3 and S2, and another straw drops into the lower end of the magazine to become straw S1. The rod 109 is driven during the resumed feed of the straws.

If the purchaser should not pull out the straw S4 after it has been fed forward to the final delivery position, it will be automatically ejected from its final delivery position on the neXt vend cycle and fall on the floor.

In view of the above, it will be seen thatthe several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. A drinking straw dispenser comprising a housing having a straw outlet for endwise exit of a straw at the front thereof, means for holding a supply of straws in the housing, means for feeding straws forward from the supply toward and through the outlet, one straw being disposed within the housing in a position ready to be dispensed through the outlet with its forward end adjacent but spaced rearward of the outlet, means for activating the feeding means to feed said one straw forward partly through the outlet to a final delivery position wherein its forward end may be grasped for pulling it out of the housing, and means responsive to pulling out said one straw for reactivating the feeding means to feed another straw to said ready position.

2. A drinking straw dispenser as set forth in claim 1 wherein the means for holding the supply of straws comprises a magazine for holding a stack of straws one on top of another with the lowermost straw of the stack in line with the outlet, and the feeding means comprises pusher means engageable with the rearward end of the lowermost straw of the stack to push it forward.

3. A drinking straw dispenser as set forth in claim 2 wherein the pusher means comprises an endless conveyor having an upper reach disposed for travel in the direction toward the outlet under the lower end of the magazine and having pushers thereon for pushing the lowermost straw forward out of the magazine.

4. A drinking straw dispenser as set forth in claim 3 having a hopper for supplying straws to the magazine.

5. A drinking straw dispenser as set forth in claim 4 having means for agitating straws in the hopper.

6. A drinking straw dispenser as set forth in claim 1 wherein the feeding means is driven by an electric motor, said means for activating the feeding means being operable to activate the motor for an interval to feed said one straw to the delivered position, and said means for reactivating the feeding means comprises a switch interconnected with the motor engageable by said one straw in the ready position and also when said one straw is fed to said final delivery position to actuate the switch, said switch being reactivated on pulling out said one straw to energize the motor and being deactivated to deenergize the motor by engagement therewith of the next straw being fed forward.

7. A beverage vendor comprising a cabinet having a front door, said door having a straw outlet for endwise exit of a straw, means for holding a supply of straws in the cabinet spaced rearward from the door, means for feeding straws forward from the supply toward and through the outlet, one straw being disposed within the cabinet in a position ready to be dispensed through the outlet with its forward end adjacent but spaced rearward of the outlet in the door, means for activating the feeding means to feed said one straw forward partly through the outlet to a final delivery position wherein its forward end may be grasped for pulling it out of the housing, and means responsive to pulling out said one straw for reactivating the feeding means to feed another straw to said ready position.

8. A beverage vendor as set forth in claim 7 having guide means extending between the supply and the door for guiding straws from the supply toward the outlet.

9. A beverage vendor as set forth in claim 8 wherein the means for holding the supply of straws comprises a magazine for holding a stack of straws one on top of another with the lowermost straw of the stack in line with the outlet, and the feeding means comprises pusher means engageable with the rearward end of the lowermost straw of the stack to push it forward.

10. A beverage vendor as set forth in claim 9 wherein the guide means comprises a rearward tube extending forward from the magazine and a forward tube carried by the door aligned with the rearward tube when the door is closed.

11. A beverage vendor as set forth in claim 9 wherein the pusher means comprises an endless chain having an upper reach disposed for travel in the direction toward the outlet under the lower end of the magazine and having fingers thereon for pushing the lowermost straw forward out of the magazine, the magazine having a slot in its lower end for accommodating the fingers.

12. A beverage vendor as set forth in claim 11 wherein each finger has a backwardly bent tip.

13. A beverage vendor as set forth in claim 11 having a hopper for supplying straws to the magazine, said hopper raving a front door adapted to be opened for load- 8 ing the hopper with straws from the front when the door of the cabinet is opened.

14. A beverage vendor as set worth in claim 13 wherein the hopper has a V-shaped bottom and the magazine is inclined downward from the lower apex thereof.

15. A beverage vendor as set forth in claim 14 having a rotary agitator extending across the hopper above the apex of its V-shaped bottom for agitating straws in the hopper.

16. A drinking straw dispenser as set forth in claim 11 wherein the chain is driven by an electric motor, said means for activating the chain being operable to activate the motor for an interval to feed said one straw to the delivered position, and said means for reactivating the chain comprises a switch interconnected with the motor having an operating arm engageable by said one straw in the ready position and also when said one straw is fed to said final delivery position to actuate the switch, said switch being reactivated on pulling out said one straw to energize the motor and being deactivated to deenergize the motor by engagement therewith of the next straw being fed forward.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 516,574 3/1894 McGahan 221253 X 1,355,488 10/1920 McKenneg 221-9 X 2,560,255 7/1951 Shirley 221-253 X 3,008,565 11/1961 Small 221-253 X 3,019,575 2/ 1962 Charley et al.

SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 221253 

